The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact in 2020, both from a health perspective and a socioeconomic one.
For example, we’ve seen a total of 74.2 million cases globally and 1.65 million fatalities as on December 17th, while the IMF has forecast that the world’s economy will contract by a staggering 4.9% by the end of 2020.
Given these numbers, you could forgive some investors for adopting a risk-averse approach as they look to avoid backing new ventures and entrepreneurs. However, if you decide to invest in the current climate, there are at least some golden and universal rules that you can follow.
What Are The Risks Associated With Investing In Businesses?
New businesses of all shapes and sizes must encounter a financial risk when they launch, and this is something that concerns all investors when considering whether or not to back a particular venture.
While entrepreneurs can help to mitigate these risks by creating a detailed business plan that accurately charts cost management and profitability, while also listing the precise amount of capital required to break even.
Regardless of the investment option in question, the level of detail included in a business plan remains the single most important consideration from an investment perspective, although it’s not the only thing you should keep your eyes on.
Even if a business is underpinned by a seemingly viable plan, it may be vulnerable if it exists in a dynamic, competitive or fast-paced market. In such entities, even the best-laid commercial strategies and business plans can quickly become outdated, so investors need to gauge the longevity of each opportunity and its long-term profitability.
On a similar note, new technologies are constantly emerging, particularly as the so-called “Fourth Industrial Revolution” continues to gather momentum.
Many of these innovations are categorised as either paradigm shifts and disruptive technologies, while some of these are more influential and impactful than others.
In this case, new businesses may need to invest heavily in new systems and innovations if they’re to achieve long-term success, and you’ll need to verify this as an investor before making a firm financial commitment.
What Are The Best Sectors To Invest In And How Should You Build Your Portfolio?
If you’ve ever come across an institutional portfolio, you’ll see how easy it is to invest in high-growth and diverse markets that can deliver sustainable gains in the future.
This is one of the best ways for modern day investors to target specific industries and potentially inflated returns, as it helps to mitigate many of the risks associated with backing businesses and provides access to lucrative and well-managed firms.
Undoubtedly, one of the very best industries for investors to target in the modern age is clean energy, especially in developed economies such as the US and the UK. In the latter, for example, Boris Johnson has recently outlined his 10-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, which will be underpinned by a huge financial investment and could well lead to the creation of up to 250,000 jobs.
With this in mind, why not target a clean energy portfolio that features relevant SME or mid-cap stocks, which can deliver an immediate return while also allowing for significant growth over an extended period of time.